• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors influencing fear of falling in community-dwelling elderly women with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed using data of 65 years or older elderly women with MCI participating in the 7th Korea Longitudinal Study of Ageing of the Korea Employment Information Service. The study subjects included 368 elderly women with MCI. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and logistic regression with complex samples were performed using IBM SPSS ver. 23.0. Results: 89.9% of the elderly women with MCI had fear of falling. There were significant factors such as religion (OR=8.85, 95% CI: 3.39~23.15), restriction of activity (OR=6.84, 95% CI: 2.14~21.90), depression (OR=0.75, 95% CI: 0.62~0.90), and MMSE (OR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.03~1.63), predicting fear of falling in community-dwelling elderly women with MCI. Conclusion: Differentiated strategies should be developed for elderly women with MCI to decrease fear of falling and prevent falls with understanding of contributing factors. This study will provide fundamental information on programming and a policy proposal related to fear of falling for elderly women with MCI.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the difference between the faller and the non-faller in the test for balance and fear of falling. This was also done to determine whether the balance and the fear of falling are correlated in the elderly. Method: Forty eight subjects participated in this study, who attended the senior center in Daegu. Prior to the test, demographic data was collected. As for the balance test, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up & Go (TUG), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and One Leg Stance (OLS) were used. For measuring the fear of falling, Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) and Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) were used. Independent t-test and Pearson's correlation was performed using PASW 18.0 for windows. Result: All balance tests, except OLS, and fear of falling could discriminate between the faller and the non-faller. There existed a significant correlation between some balance test and fear of falling (r=0.64~0.86). Conclusion: The findings indicate that assessing the falling in the elderly, there needs to be a consideration of multiple aspects including the fear of falling and not only the balance test.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.539-551
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was to investigate the factors influencing the fear of falling in frail elderly according to gender. Methods: The participants were the elderly over 65 years who were registered for case management for frail elderly of 253 public health centers. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were performed using SPSS version 18.0. Results: Prevalence of fear of falling and the influential factors were different according to gender. 75.3% of the male elderly, 85.4% of the female elderly had the fear of falling. The predictors for men's fear of falling were static balance ability, experiences of previous falls, whereas for women static balance ability, TImed up and go, depression, experiences of previous falls, educational status were significant. Conclusion: Fear of falling and the influential factors of the frail elderly according to gender should be assessed regularly to find the high risk group. On the basis of that, prevention program for fear of falling and fall need to be developed and provided, which should be gender sensitive.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.107-117
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• 2001

Falls are the most serious health problems in elderly population. They are a major cause of premature death, physical injury, immobility, psychosocial dysfunction, and nursing home placement. To reduce the alarming rate of falls and related excessive mortality and morbidity, efforts must be made to detect persons at risk of falling and to prevent or reduce the frequency of falls. To facilitate such approaches, it is essential to find the cause of falling (and under what conditions) of the elderly and the factors that are associated with risk of falling. This study was aimed at designing interventions that minimize risk of falling by ameliorating contributing factors while maintaining or improving patient's mobility.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.676-685
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• 2003

Purpose: To investigate the abilities to act and fear of falling in home-dwelling elderly. Methods: This study interviewed 351 home-dwelling elders residing in Seoul and Gyonggi-do using a Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly. Results: Of the 351 subjects, 203(57.8%) had activity restrictions. The main three activities that the subjects could not perform were going out when it is slippy, reaching something overhead and walking crowded places outside. According to general characteristics, performable activities were significantly fewer in subjects perceiving that their health status was low that those perceiving that their health status was high. On a scale of 3 points for fear of falling, the average score of the subjects was 1.46. The highest score of fear of falling was 2.62 for the activity of going out when it is slippery, next 1.87 for the activity of reaching something overhead. There was a significant inverse relationship between subjects' abilities to act and fear of falling. Conclusions: The significant variables associated with fear of falling were gender(female), educational background, economic status (low-income), and experience of falls during the last one year. Thus further study is necessary, focused on the vulnerable population in order to prevent falls and to reduce fear of falling.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.1184-1192
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among fear of falling, pain, anxiety and depression, and to identify influencing factors in elderly women patients with degenerative arthritis living in the community. Method: The subjects of this study were 297 elderly women patients with degenerative arthritis. Data was collected by personal interviews using questionnaires. Data was analyzed by the SPSS(version 12.0) computer program, and it included descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and Stepwise multiple regression. Results: There was a significant difference (p= .000) in fear of falling according to the level of pain, anxiety, and depression. There was a significant positive correlation among fear of falling, pain, anxiety and depression. Depression, pain, number of medication, age, and anxiety showed significant predictors (43.5%) for fear of falling. Conclusion: This study suggested that thoroughly assessing predictors making an impact on fear of falling in the initial nursing assessment is the most important for falls prevention of elderly women patients with degenerative arthritis in the community.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.47-65
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• 2002

This study examined the correlations among the Berg Balance Scale, which is a clinical tool used to evaluate balance ability, spatiotemporal parameters of gait, and falling; determined the parameters most closely related to falling; and identified a discriminatory parameter and its predictability. Thirty-four subjects aged 72 to 92 years participated in this study. Following a questionnaire survey about falling, the Berg Balance Scale and spatiotemporal parameters of gait were measured. The results revealed that the incidence of falls increased with aging and an accompanying reduction in the flexion range of motion of the hip joint. The gait characteristics of elderly people who fell easily included a slower walking speed, shorter stride, and longer stance time than other elderly. When the cutoff score was set at 45, the Berg Balance Scale was able to identify correctly those individuals who truly have experience of falling than when the cutoff score was set at 39. But when the cutoff score was set at 39, the scale's specificity identifying correctly those individuals who truly have not experience of falling was higher than at the cutoff score of 45. Therefore, the Berg Balance Scale is an appropriate screening method in a clinical setting for the early detection of elderly people at risk of falling. In conclusion, elderly people with a Berg Balance Scale score. below 45 are the most likely to fall owing to their decreased balance ability.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2013

The object of this study was to investigate the relation between variables that is related to the general characteristics, fear of falling and falls efficacy. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 105 elders. Fear of falling and falls efficacy are measured structured questionnaires each. This study analyzed by SAS program. There was a significant difference of fear of falling according to education level(p=.003), body mass index(p=.016). There was a significant difference of falls efficacy according to gender(p<.001), education level(p=.047), body mass index(p=.019), number of chronic disease(p=.021). Fear of falling and age(r=0.23, p=.018) had significant positive correlations in the elders. Falls efficacy and number of chronic disease(r=-0.26, p=.010) had significant negative correlations in the elders. Fear of falling and falls efficacy are mutually contradictious concept. Also, both are important for the health of elderly. This result can be used for the elderly care and development of the program for the improvement of the falling efficacy.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 2000

This study was attempted to show basic data for search of nursing intervention about sleep improving in home and institute elderly peoples. Research design was cross-sectional survey method for comparison of sleep patterns and another variables between home and institute elderly peoples. Subjects were sampled by purpose as home and institute elderly peoples at age of 65 or older in Seoul or nearly. The survey questionnaire was used by modification of sleep questionnaire which Kim, O, Song & Bak(1997) developed. Data were collected between December, 1999 and April, 2000. And data were analyzed by SPSS PC+ for purpose of research. Results are as follows: 1. Home and institute elderly peoples, all were change of sleep patterns and sleep pattern was showed early sleeping down. But institute elderly peoples slept earlier than home elderly peoples. 2. As rest of morning, difficulty of falling asleep and disturbance of re-asleep, subjective thinking and feeling were showed more negative thing home elderly peoples than institute elderly peoples. As frequency of falling asleep within 5 min in 1 week, frequency of falling asleep over 30 min in 1 week and frequency of awakening in a day, objective frequency were showed more insomnia institute elderly peoples than home elderly peoples. Home elderly peoples didn't nap most and institute elderly peoples napped on very short time. 3. Regarding sleep-disturbing factors, physical factor was popularly joint-disturbance in all, home and institute elderly peoples. Environmental factor was popularly noise, particularly institute elderly peoples. Emotional factor wasn't all. 4. Practiced strategies for better sleep was popularly TV/Radio in home elderly peoples and were popularly regular sleep and religious action in institute elderly peoples. From the results of this study, home elderly peoples need nursing intervention of improving self-satisfaction on sleep and institute elderly peoples need nursing intervention of decreasing falling asleep-disturbing and decreasing frequency of awakening in sleep.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.253-263
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was conducted to compare the fear of falling, self-efficacy and fall prevention behavior according to the fall experience of the elderly. Methods : The subjects of this study were 162 elderly in B metropolitan city. The data collection period was from September 10th to November 30th of 2018. The collected data was processed using SPSS 21.0 and was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test. Results : The mean scores for fear of falling according to the fall experience and no fall experience of the elderly were 2.28±0.63 and 1.84±0.64 respectively and the results showed that fear of falling (t=4.26, p<.001) and self-efficacy of falling (t=3.88, p<.001) were significantly different between the two groups, but the mean scores for fall prevention behavior according to the fall experience and no fall experience of the elderly were 1.63±0.20 and 1.67±0.17 respectively and there was no significantly different in fall prevention behavior (t=-1.16, p=.25). Fear of falling according to the fall experience was significantly different by age (F=3.25, p<.05) and physical activity related to daily life (F=13.22, p<.001). Self-efficacy according to the fall experience was significantly different by age (F=3.03, p<.05), income per month (F=3.74, p<.05) and physical activity related to daily life (F=11.99, p<.001). But fall prevention behavior was no significantly different of general characteristics. Fear of falling according to the no fall experience was significantly different by age (F=3.37, p<.05), marriage status (F=3.37, p<.05), education level (F=5.15, p<.01), income per month (F=3.58, p<.05) and physical activity related to daily life (F=15.71, p<.001). Self-efficacy according to the no fall experience was significantly different by sex (t=2.32, p<.05), age (F=5.20, p<.01), marriage status (F=5.04, p<.01), education level (F=6.55, p<.001), income per month (F=5.99, p<.001) and physical activity related to daily life (F=18.86, p<.001). Fall prevention behavior was significantly different by marriage status (F=3.51, p<.05). Conclusion : The results of this study suggest the following : it is necessary to develop a program that can lower the fear of falling in the elderly and to increase the self-efficacy of falling, and to develop an education program that can improve the elderly's practice of fall prevention behavior regardless of the fall experience and to verify its effectiveness.